


make your dreams instead

by homerunning



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Elf Markly, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Magic, christmas fluff!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21870253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homerunning/pseuds/homerunning
Summary: Jeno is visited by an elf - who says he's here to grant a wish.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Mark Lee
Comments: 5
Kudos: 43
Collections: DreamXmas 2019





	make your dreams instead

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jemoyed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jemoyed/gifts).



> short and sweet ;; merry christmas!! 
> 
> i'm so glad i could join in on this exchange even as a pinch hitter, thank you to the mods (and to my prompter!!) for working that out 💖

Jeno’s twirling a lonely spoon in his coffee when he sees him out of the corner of his eye, approaching through the flurrying of snow. It’s somebody new. There’s a bit that’s recognizable in the sturdiness of his shoulders and the handsome shadows in his face, but, definitely new. 

In this tiny town, no one passes by unnoticed.

He’s walking towards the cafe, wrapped up in a coat and rosy colored scarf, unworn mittens peeking out his pockets. Jeno averts his eyes, returns to his laptop, and clenches his jaw when he hears the ding of the bell while the door swings open. A shiver runs across his neck with the cold.

"Hi!" the stranger says behind Jeno, far too jovial for such a cold night, he thinks in a private grumble. "Got any coffee hot?"

The cashier behind the counter, Jeno's only company until just now, returns the color. "Of course? How do you like it?"

"Just black is fine, thank you."

Jeno hears a clamoring signifying the cashier has gone to work, and he relaxes, knowing the uncomfortable shift into unfamiliarity will be gone soon. But then the mystery boy, instead of politely sitting in another booth on the other side of the cafe, screeches a chair across the tiled floor and tucks in right by Jeno's side.

"Hi," he says brightly, and Jeno, in shock, looks at his face. He _is_ handsome. High cheekbones and a sharp chin don't take away the softness and roundness of his face, or the childlike glow in his eyes. His ears poke out. He's cute. Jeno shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"Can I help you?" he asks, slowly lowering the lid of his laptop.

"Mhm!" More brightness. Jeno doesn't know if he should be charmed or annoyed under his nerves. "Your name is Jeno right?"

His anxiety rises. "Yeah...? How do you know my -"

"If I explain, you have to be open to… to possibilities,” the boy cuts in, serious, wary, even, but still not dialing down the shine in his smile. Jeno narrows his eyes.

“Okay? You’re not a creep or anything?”

“Oh no, no,” the boy chuckles, leaning back into his chair, getting comfortable. “I’m an elf.”

There’s no coffee in Jeno’s mouth and still, he chokes.

“Excuse me?” he coughs, pounding his chest to get rid of the pain in his lungs. “An _elf?_ Like Santa’s elves?”

“Mhm, that’s the one!” he smiles, and Jeno glares.

“Very funny prank, dude, but I’m not having the best day and I’d like to be left alone, so if you could -”

“I know!” the boy begins, chipper, very much not getting the hint that he’s being a bother, “you’ve had a bad day because you studied earlier in the library for your finals and you saw the cutest couple sitting next to each other -”

The boy rambles on, relaxed, cheerful, even as Jeno’s mouth gapes open and fear prickles at his neck -

“- and cuddling and helping each other finish their notes and you were so sad that you’ve never even had a first kiss and you wished for someone to sweep in and be your Christmas kiss and well, that’s where I came in!”

Heat flashes across Jeno’s cheeks - he feels overwhelmed, caught between anger and shame. “Who _are_ you? Did you follow me? Why do you -”

“I told you, Jeno, I’m an elf! I’m Mark,” and he looks more rosy than ever, and Jeno still feels the heat rising in his cheeks, embarrassment welling up in his throat and crawling forward. He stands up, scooting his chair away, and - as a testament to how unclearly he’s thinking - leaves everything behind, even his laptop, to flee.

The cashier is just calling out for Mark’s coffee when Jeno slams the door open and steps into the cold night. Without even thinking he wraps arms around himself to shield from the chill and the snowflakes; he looks up into the moon, feels his eyes turn to glass. He’s lonely. He’s embarrassed. He’s _cold._

When he feels the ring of the bell and a gust of warm air over his back, anger rises in him - he just wants this, this _elf_ to leave him alone and he’s not going to be polite about it this time. He turns around, chest puffed up and ready to say as much, but instead he’s taken by surprise by Mark grabbing his hands.

“Jeno, please, see?” Mark says, and Jeno looks down, surprised - Mark’s hands are _warm._ Snuggly warm, the kind that seeps into skin and burrows down. “I have magic.”

Jeno exhales slightly, feeling the warmth crawl up through his arms, across his shoulders, down and spreading throughout, even down to the tips of his toes. Melting away the last of his defenses. He looks up to meet Mark’s shining eyes and he laughs, delighted.

“You’re an elf? Santa’s elf from the North fucking Pole?” Jeno asks one more time, just to clarify that this is all really happening, that he’s got magic in his hands right now. Mark giggles and nods.

“From the North fucking Pole. Sent down here to fulfill your wish.”

Jeno bites his lip at the reminder, looking away, cheeks flushing pink, and not from the magic warmth. “Yeah, I… I’m sorry. I mean, you don’t have to, I’m just -”

“You’re lonely,” Mark fills in, gentle, his fingers squeezing a little tighter. Jeno still can’t meet his eyes but he can nod, at least, the pink blush still rosy on his cheeks.

“There’s no shame in not having kissed anyone yet, you know,” Mark says lightly, tilting his head, trying to get Jeno to look at him. Jeno flits his eyes forward shyly, tendrils of anxiety coming back to wind around him, but from a whole different kind of nervousness now.

“I don’t imagine you get a lot of action up at the North Pole?” Jeno jokes, and the twinkly laugh Mark releases in response straightens up his shoulders a little. 

“You’re right! There’s a lot of work that goes into the holidays.” His eyes are sparkling, warm, despite the cold world around them. Maybe even because. The fluttering snow does seem to reflect a certain glow in Mark.

“So... “ Jeno says, cautioning forward. He can still feel Mark’s fingers brushing in between his. “I also don’t imagine you grant a lot of kissing wishes, do you?”

There’s that sweet laugh again, there’s the untensing of Jeno’s shoulders again. He feels comfortable around this stranger - this literal foreign being - more than he has with anyone else before. It’s like it’s magic.

“You’d be the first,” Mark replies, and Jeno bites his lip. He dares to flit his eyes down, looking at Mark’s lips. They’re soft and red. An ache throbs in Jeno’s tummy.

“For a first time -” Jeno starts, daring to step forward a little, “I’d say you’re doing pretty well.”

“Thank you,” Mark says with a flash of teeth, stepping forward a little himself. From this reflection so far, Jeno thinks, it’s up to him to lean forward to kiss him. And he’s nervous. He shies his eyes away again.

Mark notices, and pulls him back. “We’re just missing one thing,” he whispers, unclasping his hands from Jeno’s and rubbing his palms together. Jeno doesn’t notice the magic until he catches a glow from up above, bits of light dusting down. He blinks and looks up to the snowy sky, where a mistletoe bunch hangs in the air, wound with yellow glittery light, illuminating the snowflakes that pass.

His heart races when he looks back down to see Mark closing his eyes, gently leaning forward in the smallest lean, waiting for Jeno to meet him back. Jeno scans over his handsome face one more time, his little ears sticking out from his head and the small purse of his lips, before he closes his eyes, takes one quick breath, and leans forward to meet him.

And oh, Jeno decides, even in this one brush of lips, that kissing is his favorite thing to do. Mark is just as soft as he looked and just as warm as his hands feel. He’s a curious kisser, leaning forward just a bit more, pressing his lips inside, sliding the warmth of his hands down Jeno’s sides and making him shiver.

It all feels so good and so nice and so tingly in Jeno’s tummy that, even as he kisses Mark more and more, opening his mouth against him, he’s stifling giggles. Mark’s hands twist even farther, winding his hands around to Jeno’s back now, pulling him closer. Close enough that their tummies bump.

They break apart for only just a moment to breathe before meeting once more, dry and warm and soothing. The heat of Mark’s magic has spread through Jeno from head to toe and as he’s held in his arms, as his kisses are his exchanged, the lonely sore inside him has been ailed.

When they finally break apart for good this time, it’s Jeno pulling back, resting his forehead against Mark’s, breathing evenly. It takes a little push of courage to open his eyes, to face the boy he shared a first kiss with, but he’s glad he did once he’s done it.

“You have glitter all over your hair,” Jeno giggles, brushing some off of Mark’s bangs. Mark laughs when the light sticks to Jeno’s fingers, even as he rubs it away.

“Just a bit of magic for you,” Mark beams, pulling back from Jeno’s waist. Jeno can’t help but be bashful. After he’s kissed him, Mark looks even more handsome.

“Thank you,” Jeno whispers, hoping the dual meaning gets across, and he swears there’s an actual twinkle in Mark’s eye when he spreads into a smile. “Do you, I mean,” Jeno coughs, not wanting to let go of this yet, wanting to stay in the magic for just a few minutes more, “do you want to come in again? Finish your coffee?”

Mark looks up at the mistletoe, which has begun to fade, and looks down at the golden flakes of light beginning to melt into the snow. When he looks back up at Jeno, his smile stays standing.

“I’d love to.”

Jeno leads the way walking back into the coffee shop, the gentle, pleased grin on his face not anywhere close to wearing off. Mark picks up his coffee from the coy cashier, who must’ve seen the happenings just outside her store window, and thanks her kindly before joining Jeno once more in his booth.

They talk and talk, the clock ticking by, Jeno’s laptop forgotten, but neither of their coffees go cold as soon as Mark presses his hands to them. 

Mark explains he’s got to leave soon. That he’s got a busy month ahead of him, that he loved meeting Jeno, that he’s glad to have fulfilled his wish, and, that despite all the rules and shoulds, he wants to see Jeno again. And they kiss again, and again and again before Mark leaves off into the night. It’s only the first few in the endless line of kisses that’s sure to come their way.

**Author's Note:**

> [twt (nsfw!)]() 🎁 [cc](https://curiouscat.me/homerunning)


End file.
